French pop chanteuse Camille attracted international attention as a member of the acclaimed Nouvelle Vague before resuming her solo career in early 2005. She then released her second solo album Le Fil, which was produced in collaboration with English producer MaJiKer. This album incorporated an avant-garde concept – a string, or thread (“le fil”), which was a drone that persisted throughout the entire course of the album. All of the songs on this album are based on the exploration of the voice, with only a double bass, bass guitar, guitar, trombone, percussion, or keyboard as accompanying instruments. Le Fil quickly became certified gold. It ended up winning Best New Album of the Year honors at the annual Victoires de la Musique Awards, where she also earned the title of Breakthrough Live Act. To this date, she has released 6 albums. She is known internationally for her live performances, which run the gamut from cross-art-form happenings in Paris, London, and Sydney to a pared down tour of chapels in the Le Beaujolais region of France.

The reference to the feminine gender with she, her, the girl, the heiress, the bitch, etc, is related to the fact that ‘pain’ is feminine “la douleur”.

Lève toi c’est décidé
Laisse moi te remplacer
Je vais prendre ta douleur

Get up, I have come to a decision.
Let me replace you
I’m going to take your pain

Doucement sans faire de bruit
Comme on réveille la pluie
Je vais prendre ta douleur, prendre ta douleur
Je vais prendre ta douleur

Silently without making any noise
As when one awakes the rain,
I’m going to take your pain, take your pain
I’m going to take your pain

Elle lutte, elle se débat
Mais ne résistera pas
Je vais bloquer l’ascenseur
Je vais prendre ta douleur
Saboter l’interrupteur
Je vais prendre ta douleur

She’s fighting, she’s struggling [elle=la douleur is feminine]
But she won’t resist
I’m going to block the elevator
I’m going to take your pain
Desactivate the switch
I’m going to take your pain

Mais c’est qui cette incrustée
Cet orage avant l’été
Sale chipie de petite sœur

Who the hell is this girl who doesn’t belong here,
This storm before the summer,
Pesky b*tch of a little sister

Je vais tout lui confisquer
Ses fléchettes et son sifflet
Je vais lui donner la fessée
Je vais prendre ta douleur
La virer de la récré
Je vais prendre ta douleur

I’m going to take everything away from her
Her darts and her whistle
I’m going to give her a spank
I’m going to take your pain
Send her away during break
I’m going to take your pain

Mais c’est qui cette héritière
Qui se baigne, qui se terre
Dans l’eau tiède de tes reins

But who is this heiress
Who is bathing, who is hiding
In the lukewarm water of your kidneys

J’vais la priver de dessert
Lui faire mordre la poussière
Pour tous ceux qui n’ont plus faim
Je vais prendre ta douleur
Pour tous ceux qui n’ont plus rien
Je vais prendre ta douleur

I will deprive her of dessert,
Make her bite the dust
For all those who are not hungry anymore
I’m going to take your pain
For all those who no longer have anything
I’m going to take your pain

Dites moi que fout la science
A quand ce pont entre nos panses
Si tu as mal là où t’as peur
Tu n’as pas mal là où je pense!

Tell me what is science doing
When (will there be) this bridge between our bellies
If it’s hurting where you’re scared,
It’s not hurting where I think!

Qu’est-ce qu’elle veut cette connasse
Le beurre ou l’argent du beurre
Que tu vives ou que tu meures

What does that bitch want?
The butter or the butter’s money, phrase to say : does she want her cake and eat it too?
Does she want you to die or to live?

Faut qu’elle crève de bonheur
Ou qu’elle change de godasses
Faut qu’elle croule sous les fleurs
Change de couleur
Je vais prendre ta douleur
Je vais jouer au docteur
Je vais prendre ta douleur

She had better die of happiness
Or she had better change her shoes
She had better fall under flowers
And change colour
I’m going to take your pain
I’m going to play the doctor
I’m going to take your pain

Dites moi que fout la science
A quand ce pont entre nos panses
Si tu as mal là où t’as peur
Tu n’as pas mal là où je chante!
Lève-toi !

Tell me what is science doing
When (will there be) this bridge between our bellies
If it’s hurting where you’re scared,
It’s not hurting where I sing!

Oh oh oh lève toi,
Elle a envie de toi x 3
Oh oh oh, get up
She wants you x 3